Trump Answers Reporters’ Calls Directly, Often Get Interviews/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump frequently takes reporters’ calls on his personal cell, offering spontaneous interviews despite his antagonistic stance toward the media. His direct outreach defies presidential norms. Critics say this unique approach complicates records and staff coordination.
Trump Reporters Cellphone Quick Looks
- Trump answers reporters’ calls on his personal cellphone
- Offers impromptu interviews even amid attacks on media
- Defies tradition of structured presidential press interactions
- Lawyers recently threatened CNN, NYT with lawsuits over Iran coverage
- Reporters value quotes despite brief, unscheduled calls
- Calls complicate White House staff coordination and messaging
- Trump’s open line boosts access but reduces public records
- Media experts say it reflects Trump’s authentic, unscripted style
Deep Look
President Trump’s Cellphone Diplomacy: Reporters Call, And Often The President Picks Up
WASHINGTON — It’s one of the most astonishing quirks of modern journalism: Reporters dialing the President of the United States—and getting him on the line, personally.
President Donald Trump, whose relationship with the press has been defined by volatility and insults like “fake news,” is increasingly taking calls from journalists directly on his personal cellphone, offering impromptu interviews that defy every convention of presidential communication.
A Direct Line To The Oval Office
For journalists, cold-calling sources is a routine part of the job. But few could imagine phoning the sitting president and hearing him pick up. Under Trump, this is becoming surprisingly common.
On June 21—the day the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites—Trump conducted multiple interviews by phone. According to an independent database tracking his media appearances, Trump spoke that day with Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Kristen Welker of NBC News, Steve Holland of Reuters, Barak Ravid of Axios, and both Bret Baier and Sean Hannity of Fox News.
Even a brief 38-second call with Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal yielded a fresh presidential quote for coverage of the Iran strike.
“I find it utterly remarkable,” said Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary under President George W. Bush. “It’s classic Trump. It defies tradition.”
From Hostility To Openness
The irony isn’t lost on observers. Trump has repeatedly attacked journalists and news outlets as enemies of the people. Just last week, his lawyers threatened to sue CNN and The New York Times over their coverage of initial assessments of damage from the Iran bombing.
Yet while simultaneously battling the media publicly, Trump privately maintains an open line to reporters.
Michael Scherer of The Atlantic shared one revealing encounter. After initially being denied an interview for a magazine cover story, Scherer decided to try Trump’s personal number on a Saturday morning.
“Who’s calling?” Trump answered. Rather than hanging up, Trump berated Scherer for past coverage but then listened, answered questions, and was “gracious,” Scherer recalled.
“The president likes speaking,” Scherer said. “He wants to share his story. I think he feels that the more he shares his story, the better off he is. He just has a totally different approach to the press than any president I’ve covered.”
An Unfiltered Presidential Lifeline
Trump’s cellphone, some reporters believe, has become a lifeline. The Atlantic reported that even after being warned near Election Day that Chinese intelligence services could eavesdrop on his calls, Trump kept using it.
During his first term, most interactions were strictly managed through the White House communications office. Now, Trump decides for himself when and to whom he talks.
“There have been multiple times that people who work for the president have made clear that they weren’t happy he was talking to me,” Scherer said. “But they don’t get to make the decisions. It’s his decision.”
White House Reaction And Staff Headaches
Asked about Trump’s spontaneous calls, White House communications director Steven Cheung called Trump “the most transparent president in history.”
“The American people are better served because President Trump engages with the press on a daily basis, and we are all so thankful for his leadership,” Cheung said.
But Fleischer noted this practice likely creates challenges for Trump’s staff, who may not always know what their boss has promised or said to reporters.
“It’s who he is and the staff needs to deal with it,” Fleischer said.
A Brief But Powerful Quote Machine
Reporters say the calls are usually brief—sometimes yielding just a single quote—but remain invaluable.
ABC’s Jonathan Karl, a frequent caller, spoke with Trump at least three times in June alone. On the night of the Iran bombing, Karl posted on social media:
“I called Trump about 10 minutes ago. He didn’t talk details or next steps. But he wanted to say this: tremendous success tonight.”
NBC’s Kristen Welker told Seth Meyers that sometimes “you just have to take a chance and it works out.”
Brian Stelter, former CNN media analyst and author of “Reliable Sources,” said the calls remind him of Trump’s pre-presidential days, when he was a reliable quote source for gossip columns or “The Apprentice.”
“At the same time, if you can get the president by phone, by all means you should,” Stelter said.
Past Clashes Don’t Stop Future Calls
Even journalists who have publicly clashed with Trump get through. NBC’s Yamiche Alcindor, who sparred with Trump during his first term while working for PBS, recently spoke with him by phone. She reported Trump describing the Iran bombing as “a great day for America.”
NBC declined to make Alcindor available for further comment.
Transparency Versus Record-Keeping Challenges
Trump’s freewheeling phone style adds complexity for historians and fact-checkers. During his first term, 89% of his interviews were documented via transcripts or video. In his current term, only about half are publicly recorded, according to Bill Frischling of Roll Call Factbase, who tracks presidential media appearances.
The drop, Frischling said, is entirely due to the increase in informal phone calls.
Scherer, for his part, said he uses Trump’s number sparingly and keeps it private. “It’s not my number to share,” he said, noting that if it becomes too widely known, Trump might be forced to change it.
For now, Trump’s cell remains one of the most extraordinary backdoor channels in presidential history—a symbol of both his raw accessibility and his unconventional approach to politics.
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